Supporters of Egypt’s ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi hold posters of the four finger symbol, known as “Rabaa”, which means four in Arabic, to remember those killed in the crackdown on the Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp in Cairo (AFP File Photo)

The Anti-Coup Alliance said masses took to the streets across the country, challenging “threats of murder, injuries, detention, humiliation and fines.”

The alliance, also known as the National Coalition to Support Legitimacy, had called for protests on Friday under the slogan, “balance sheet of the coup’s disasters.” In its most recent statement on Friday it called on revolutionaries and the “free Egyptian people” to continue to peacefully protest and express their “rejection of the coup” throughout the week under the description, “patience is the path to victory”.

There were sporadic clashes in various parts of the country on Friday between protesters who support former president Mohamed Morsi and residents opposing him. Clashes took place in Zagazig in the Governorate of Sharqeya, Sidi Bishr in Alexandria, Al-Manakh in Port Said, and Al-Fawal in Fayoum, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement. One person was shot in the neck in Fayoum and is currently hospitalised.

The alliance said that protesters gathered in numbers that “confused the putschists” despite the assaults and skirmishes, “which proves the coup’s failure in breaking the will of the people”.

The ministry added that there were some skirmishes requiring the police’s intervention and that there were no implications whatsoever on the security forces’ side. Around a dozen people were arrested.

The alliance expressed gratitude for what it described as “distinguished interaction” with the protests by the Egyptian people on Friday. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior described the protests as “limited marches”.

The alliance said, “the revolutionaries continued to follow the strategy of protesting in side streets before converging on main streets…” The alliance claims that this strategy is the reason deaths were avoided and describes this as “a great success which confuses the putschists.” Ever since the removal of Morsi on 3 July, the Anti-Coup Alliance, which includes the Muslim Brotherhood as well as several parties and unions, has repeatedly called for protests rejecting Morsi’s ouster.